Beet and potato digger



Feb. 17 1925.

E. A. SMALL BEST AND POTATO DIGGER Filed Oct. 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n gn um l'fOZ 457M474. 507 44 L Feb. 17. 19.25.

1,526,722 E. A. SMALL BEET AND POTATO DIGGER Filed Oct. 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I I jnocPlt oz WWI/5% ,epmmm. $07414 Patented Feb. 17, 1925 UNITED STATES EDWARD A SMALL, OF FRANKSVILLE, WISCONSIN.

BEET AND POTATO BIGGER.

Application filed October 5, 1921,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD A. SMALL, citizen of the United States, residing at Franksville, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet and Potato Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beet and potato harvesters and the primary object of the invention is to provide a wheel supported tiltable frame, wherein the inclination of the digger may be regulated by the operator.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as ex pressed in the appended claim.

I attain these objects and others in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the machine.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the front tongue and the connection for raising and lowering the same.

Figure 4; is a detail top plan view of the frame.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the supporting frame of the machine comprises the side bars 5, 6, the latter being bent inwardly, as shown at 7, and then forwardly, as at 8, to provide a substantially narrow, restricted front end section 9, disposed at one side of the longitudinal axis of the machine, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawing. The transverse connecting beam 10 and the rear axle 11 and its rear supporting wheels 12, operable in bearings 13, support the inclined brace bars 15, 16, in which the shaft, subsequently to be referred to, and the axle rotate.

In order to more effectively permit the machine to be drawn over the ground and especially on a hillside, I have provided a novel and improved tongue adjusting mechanism, which consists of a lever 51 and a Serial No. 505,542.

spring pressed pawl 52, operable on a seg.- mental rack 58, said rack being secured to the side 8 of the frame, the lower end of said lever 51 being connected by a link 54 to a crank arm 55, said arm adapted to oscillate the rock shaft 56, journalled in bearings 57 on the top of the restricted or end portion 9 of the frame above referred to. A second arm 58, secured to the rock shaft 56 and substantially intermediate its ends, is connected to a slotted bar 59, the lower end of said bar being pivotally secured to the reduced extension 60 of the curved tongue 61, said tongue being pivotally supported in the ends of the upwardly curved brace bars 62. The apertured end 63 of the tongue is of course, adapted to be connected by the clevis or hook 6 1: of the harness or traction means employed to operate the machine across the field. The usual drivers seat is positioned on the frame in proximity to the lever 51 whereby the same may be operated to suit the needs as occasion may require. I

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated my invention embodied in one form by way of example, and which in practice has been found to be highly satisfactory in obtaining the desired results. It will be obvious however, that other embodiments may be adopted, and that various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is furthermore understood that the invention is not necessarily limited or restricted to the precise elements shown except in so far as such limitations are specified in the subject matter being claimed.

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a beet harvester comprising a frame including a pair of longitudinally extending main beams, one of said main beams being offset at its forward end, and a pair of transverse beams connecting the terminals of the longitudinal beams together, an axle secured to rear end of the frame, wheels carried by the axle, forwardly extending brace bars attached to the front end of the frame, a tongue pivoted to the front end of said brace bars, a rock shaft journalled between the sides of said frame at the offset front end portion thereof, one end of said rock shaft extending beyond the side of said frame, a said lever whereby the tongue may be adrook arm carried by said rock shaft, a justed to various horizontal positions to slotted bar connected at one end to said rock change the line of the draft.

shaft and at the other end of said tongue, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 5 a crank arm keyed to the end of the rock in presence of two Witnesses.

shaft which extends beyond the side of said frame, a link connected to the lower end of EDWARD A. SMALL. said crank arm, a lever pivoted to the side Witnesses: of said frame and connected at its lower CLARK LOWER,

10 end to said link, and a segmental rack for VIOLA LOWER. 

